Manchester Select Eddy O'Sullivan to Stand in Parliamentary Election

Wed, 19/09/2012 - 10:00

By our Manchester correspondent-Sunday 16th saw the September meeting of Manchester Branch held at their central Manchester venue. The meeting was opened and chaired by Eddy O’Sullivan with the Manchester party officials in attendance, along with the acting Regional Organiser, Gary Tumulty.

There was an excellent representation of the party membership in attendance.

Eddy opened the proceedings and introduced the guest speaker for the meeting, Dennis Shambley.

Dennis is the Organiser for Wigan and a party stalwart through and through.

Dennis gave a thoroughly entertaining and informative talk on the reasons why these Islands of Great Britain belong to us, the British people and not some greater authority from Europe, or wherever, despite what might be thought to the contrary.

Often humorous, often poignant and definitely thought provoking… if you haven’t had Dennis down to speak at your meeting I strongly urge you to get him booked!

After a break and a healthy collection Eddy got on with the branch business and there was a lot to go at. Activists were out last week leafleting in the surrounding areas and the city centre.

The branch has 20,000 leaflets printed and ready to go for an expected Parliamentary by-election in mid-November. This by-election is going to be invoked as a result of the election for the new post of Police Commissioner for Greater Manchester which is expected to take place on the same day, 15th November 2012.

The Greater Manchester Branches and groups have decided not to contest the Police Commissioner office. After much debate we came to the decision that the newly created office of Police Commissioner serves only to politicise the Police service.

We are of the view that politics should be kept out of policing and that the Police should be allowed to get on with the job they are paid to do without interference from individuals or groups that may use their political connections to influence the way Greater Manchester Police carry out their duties.

Interestingly the Labour party’s candidate is none other than a certain Tony Lloyd. Lloyd is currently the MP for Manchester central and is so confident of winning that he intends to resign from his Parliamentary office purely so he can stand as a candidate for the Commissioner’s office. Does he know something about the way elections are run in Manchester that we don’t?

Either way, there will be a by-election in this Ward and we needed a candidate. The process was presided over by Regional Organiser Gary Tumulty.

Nominations were asked for and four candidates stepped up! This led to a wonderfully lively debate, and a hustings for all candidates, and a vote was taken.

I am delighted to report that Eddy O’Sullivan was democratically elected by the membership to be the British National Party candidate in the Parliamentary by-election for Manchester Central Ward in November 2012.

The next week’s leafleting activities were discussed and planned and the meeting was then brought to a close. All in all, a brilliant and productive Sunday afternoon.

We would like to ask any kind members to sponsor Eddy O'Sullivan as your candidate and give him the £500 deposit needed, please make your self known by emailing salford@bnp.org.uk